HALLOWEEN SEEMS LIKE NIGHTMARE FOR REAL FRED KRUEGERS

In fact, Oct. 31 is a nightmare for five Fred Kruegers who live in Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina and Illinois.It's particularly tough for the Fred Krueger who lives in Tobyhanna, Pa. His house is two blocks from Elm Street.

No kidding. Fred Kruegers, men with the same name as the star of screen, scream and gore, are alive and well but unenthusiastic about the holiday.

The prank calls and weird stares, they say, are relentless.

Fred Krueger, Charlotte, N.C., plays the demonic role but said he tries to keep it simple because he once scared a little girl.

"She wanted to know if I was Freddy and I said, `Yeah' and gave her the laugh," said the 75-year-old retiree. "And then I said . . . I would be over to see her.

"There was silence on the phone," he recalled. Followed by a dial tone.